Long Road to Ruin
by monochromatiic
Summary: Do you believe in love at first sight? Well in Forks, WA, the sort of thing happens quite frequently. embry callxOC, with a little JakexBella implied.
1. imprint

chapter 1; imprint.

_embry._

The first time I saw her, I knew we belonged together. There was something in the way she smiled at me; like she knew how to solve all my problems. Her walk made her seem almost ethereal, as if she were my own personal angel. Her eyes, this unusual light green and prettier than any emerald, seemed to bore directly into parts of my soul that no one else knew about. I needed to know everything about her; I needed her to know about me. I'll admit, though I've only seen her once before, once is enough to know in our world. Jake thinks I'm crazy. Someone like her? Well, certainly she can't stand up to the statue that is Bella Swan in Jake's book. He says she's too happy, too carefree to know anything about what we are. More importantly, he says that I should stop thinking about her because he doesn't like hearing about her. That's funny; we hear about Bella on an hourly basis in some way shape or form. At least Quil's happy for me. He jokes that he just has to wait a couple of years and he'll be as love struck as Jake and I. Sam's happy about it, too. As happy as he can be, anyway, considering he and Emily know how dangerous we are firsthand.

I wish I could just talk to her. Passing her once on the way to Thriftway just doesn't cut it in my book. She looked so happy then, rounding up several children and escorting them inside. All under a giant purple umbrella. I couldn't see her face clearly, but I know it was beautiful. I could feel an aura of serenity wash over me, carried by the ever-present Forks rain. She smiled and herded what I assumed to be two little brothers inside the grocery store, smiling and laughing with them. They looked so perfect together. I wanted to stop the Rabbit right there and rush over, but shyness and self-control got the better of me. I just want to talk to her is all. Even if it's just a "Hello"; at least she would know I exist. I'd tell her that I need her and I want her to know how much she means to me. It sounds a bit stalker-esque, I know. But like I said, our love isn't like human love. We have a loyalty much stronger than any human will ever know.

It was another rainy day when I saw her again; Jake was driving the Rabbit as usual. A little too fast for my tastes, but it was his car and there wasn't much I could do when Jake was in one of his moods. The Volkswagen chugged along the dirt roads, kicking up mud and pebbles as the old wheels turned. We were listening to some CD that he had heard Bella listening to once, a long time ago. She and the _bloodsuckers_ were all long gone now. They'd broken the treaty; Bella herself was the one who wanted it. From what I hear, they headed up north with some others of their kind. At one point, I'd actually thought she and Jake would end up together, the way she led him on; I actually considered her a kind-of sister. But Juliet needs her Romeo, I suppose, and as soon as Cullen came back she left us. I'll admit I'm a little jealous of the bronze-haired bloodsucker; he got what he wanted in the end. They both did. None of us got what we wanted, though. Especially Jake. He was inconsolable for a few months after Bella went vamp. It was hard enough tracking him down after he ran away. We found him a few weeks later in pretty bad shape (which he swore me to secrecy over the details). We were all pretty upset, I guess. Considering that Bella knew our secret and all. But life goes on, and Jake got better. He still loves her, of course, but he's trying to move on.

The group on the CD, which I'm assuming were girls because of the high-pitched shrieking, whined on about how much the world hated them. Again, not my thing, but it was best to just let it go. I stared out the window at the tiny houses, built almost in mimeograph, as we passed them. It was then that I saw her again; my wolf girl. My angel.

Jake sensed my sudden surge of happiness and groaned.  
"We passed _her_, didn't we?" he asked, his voice more like a growl than anything I'd heard in a long time.

If I was in wolf-mode at that moment, my tail would have been wagging uncontrollably. I nodded and stared out through the rear-view mirror.  
"Wonder what she's doing at the Clearwater's," Jake continued, slowing the Rabbit to a crawl. "I think I'll go check." I felt the car stop, and my stomach did a three-sixty. Jake's door opened slightly and he shot me a sinister smirk. With that, he hopped out of the Volkswagen, and practically skipped around to my side of the car.

"Come on before _your girl_ gets stolen too," he added, a bit of bitterness tainting his voice.

Jake strode up the muddy sidewalk, a cocky air about him. This was the first time I'd seen him like this since he disappeared; since Bella died. Not died in the traditional sense, of course, but you know what I'm getting at. I hesitated to grab the door handle, wanting nothing more than to hide under a rock. I'm a pretty shy guy and the thought of talking to someone so utterly perfect was terrifying. I let my better judgment get the short end of the stick and followed Jake up to where perfection was staring aimlessly up into the clouds.

"Hey," Jake called, waving at her. "Who are you?"

My best friend and brother could be a little blunt sometimes, and I hid my embarrassment behind what I hoped to be a friendly-looking smile. The girl jumped, obviously not expecting company for a while. She turned around to face us and my stomach did yet another three-sixty. Her smile could've given the healthiest person diabetes; it was so saccharine sweet.

"Oh, I'm sorry. Are you Seth Clearwater?" she asked, her voice saturated with hope.

"I'm Charlotte Crosby. No relation to the hockey genius, although I wouldn't really mind. You can call me Gracie, though. Everyone does. Anyhow, your mother sent me to get these," she continued, pointing to a box at her feet. I nearly fainted; her voice was as angelic as her appearance.

"I'm not Seth. The name's Jake. Jacob Black," he said, stepping aside to then introduce me. He knew me too well; I'm such a chicken sometimes.

"And this is Embry Call."

I mustered up every ounce of voice I had in me, only to meekly introduce myself. "Hi. It's nice to meet you, Gracie," I said, stumbling aimlessly over my words. Another smile spread across her pale face. "If you're looking for Seth, he's down at the beach. We're…friends of his. He should be home soon, if you don't mind waiting a little while."

I may be shy, but I'm not one to pass up a good opportunity to speak if I see one. All I knew was that I was determined to have her stay here for a little while; forever if possible.

Her smile was directed entirely at me – ME! – and I turned as scarlet as my tanned skin would permit. A soft giggle escaped her lips before she replied: "I have all day Embry."

Her cheeriness melted me inside. I'm surprised I didn't look like a puddle of copper on the Clearwater's front lawn. I've never reacted to anyone in the world like I did to her. Forgive the terrible half-pun, but this was no mere puppy love – this was the real thing.


	2. irrational

chapter 2; irrational.

gracie.

I've always thought of myself as a fairly rational person. I regularly make good judgments and keep a level head in all situations. But he made me feel so irrational. Not in a bad way! No, not like that at all. Maybe it's the wrong choice of words, but this boy was different from anyone whom I had ever talked to in my life. I felt like we had an instant bond, if that makes any sense. The first time he spoke to me, I knew I was in too deep. His voice, calm yet terrified, seemed to sing to me. It was all I could do not to ask him to marry me at that instant. So much for being level headed… He seemed like a lost puppy who had found his owner, and I know that sounds silly, but that's how I felt too. When he asked me to stay, I couldn't help but oblige.

"I have all day, Embry!" I said a little too enthusiastically. Normally I'm a very shy girl, but something in him brought out the courage locked inside me. I knew once I said it that I couldn't really stay; my parents --specifically my step-mother -- didn't exactly approve of me being in La Push at all. I was to be home at six-thirty; no later. However, when I saw how Embry's brown eyes lit up when I said that I figured it was worth a few months of being grounded.

"Good! We'll wait with you, right Jake?" he said, and my heart skipped inside my chest. I didn't think he would have left me alone at a stranger's house, but you never know with boys.

"What brings you down to La Push?" the other boy with him asked. Jake…He was incredibly intimidating. It seemed as though there was a permanent scowl on his face, and his eyes were hardened with some sort of mixture of emotions. It was a contrast to the warm eyes of Embry Call. There was something enigmatic about the both of them, though. Like they weren't like me. I mean, other than not being home schooled, tanned, muscular, incredibly gorgeous, and Quileute.

Jake shot me a glance that screamed "I don't like you", and Embry elbowed him. It almost sounded as if he growled at him, but it was probably my imagination. I hadn't done anything to him and yet my potential soul mate's best friend already hated me. I was off to a great start here in Forks. It was bad enough that the sun never shined in this dratted, tiny town; the one sunny day I've seen since I moved here was marred by Jacob's gray clouds.

"Sorry he's so nosy." Embry quickly apologized for his irritated friend. "Seth's like family and we don't get very many visitors here these days."

He looked at his feet again; he seemed so shy. I don't know if he was intimidated by me or not. Who would be? I cry when I have to kill spiders. I don't think I have the capability in me to be scary.

"Oh, I wonder why? I like it here, from what I've seen," I said, flashing back to my childhood for a brief second. "When I was little, I used to go camping and such all the time. The old-fashioned way, too. Just me, my dad, and a tiny tent. I just moved here, so unfortunately I don't know any good spots yet. I'm originally from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Oh, I hope you've heard of it. It's a wonderful little city. With a kick-butt hockey team! Unfortunately, that does mean I'm a city girl at heart. But I do like it here! I mean, I really like the rain and the trees. It's so green compared to where I used to live and…" I stammered, turning fifteen different shades of red.

"I digress. I came by here because I volunteered to help out Mrs. Clearwater. She had put up an ad on our church's bulletin board, and I thought it would be a nice idea. Plus, I just wanted to meet new people," I explained, gesturing to the box setting on the ground next to my dusty high heels. "I knew a little about Mrs. Clearwater's situation and couldn't help but offer my services. She told me that her son Seth would be by to let me in so I could deliver the groceries, but he hasn't showed yet. And that's where you guys come in…"

I laughed a little, feeling silly. Telling two boys I just met half of my life story…What kind of spell did this place put on me? Julianne, my step-mother, would undoubtedly be upset if she found out that I was talking to boys. And not only that, but they were La Push boys. We'd head straight to church and she'd have me exorcised or something weird like that. I was the only good daughter she had left, and she was determined to keep me purer than winter's first snow. Unluckily for me, I don't share the same devout spirit that she does and that has caused me a lot of trouble. Since it's only me, Julianne, and Dad in the house now it has caused a bit of a schism in my family.

"Do you think Seth will be back soon? I kind of lied earlier; my mom needs me home soon," I asked, definitely not wanting to leave. Compared to my house, this place was like heaven. Four brothers and one sister plus mom and dad crammed into a house as small as ours made for uncomfortable living conditions, at best.

I looked over at Embry, who looked away from me as soon as we made eye contact.

"Well, I can let you in if you need me to. I have a spare key," he said, rifling through his pockets. "Aha! This should do the trick."

I watched as his lanky frame strode up to the door and unlocked it for me. He grabbed the box next to my feet and lifted it off the ground in one fluid motion. He was easily the most graceful boy I have ever seen, and my eldest brother studies ballet. Embry disappeared for a few moments before returning empty handed. All I could muster was a giddy "Thank you" and steal a glance as he returned to his spot next to Jake.

"Mission accomplished," he replied, a smile spreading across his bronzed face.

"I guess so. Well, I should probably get out of here. Mother will probably be angry if I don't make it home in time to make dinner. It was really nice meeting you, Embry. You too, Jake. Hopefully I'll see you around…"

I didn't want to leave. Really, I didn't. I wanted nothing more than to stay in La Push forever that day. I felt as though I could have stayed on the Clearwater's porch for an eternity. But it was bye-bye Embry, hello house of eight once again. It was time for me to come back to reality. But it was nice being irrational, even if it was only a few hours' worth. I waved and turned to leave La Push for a while, my brain soaking up as much imagery as it could in the short seconds it took for me to start for my little blue Hybrid. However, before I could even take a step, I felt an unnaturally warm hand encircling my wrist.


	3. courage

chapter o3. courage.

embry.

I couldn't let her leave – not yet. Not until I at least worked up enough guts to ask to see her again. Not that she wouldn't be back, of course, but I wanted to see her on different terms. I feel rather ashamed of myself for saying this, but at that moment I really wanted to be Quil. Even for just a few seconds. He was always good at getting dates; he just couldn't keep them. I lack what public speaking teachers call "charisma". Or maybe it's just that I don't talk to girls, save for Emily and Seth's sister Leah. And even around them, I get tongue tied. Jake and Quil both used to joke that I would be the first gay werewolf in Quileute history. Thank goodness that has been proven false.

As Gracie turned toward her classy little car, I knew I had to do something. I wasn't exactly sure of what I was doing blatantly violating the personal space of a girl I had just met a few minutes ago, but it had to be done. I swiftly grabbed her wrist. Gently of course; I could and would not live with myself if I ever hurt her. She turned to look at me, her cinnamon curls swirling around her slightly florid cheeks. I was stuck now, and I could only stare at her.

"Something to say, that's all I'm asking for. Come on, on brain! You're useful every other time I need you," I thought, praying something would come to mind.

Lucky for me, Jake always had my back and access to my head. Mentally, he sent me a message. I don't know why I hadn't thought about my telepathy, if you could call it that. I was too enamored to think rationally, I suppose. Without a single glance, Jake slyly gave me the words that my mind wouldn't produce.

"Hey, Hopeless, look at the sky. I know you can't take your eyes off of her, but please try and concentrate for more than five seconds. The sun's gone. In fact, it looks like it could possibly storm. A nice girl like that shouldn't have to drive home in a bad storm like we get here in La Push, if you get what I'm saying.  
I'll pretend like I have something to do and you just stay with her. From the sounds of it, she's probably just arrived here recently and hasn't had the chance to really experience a real Forks storm. Play knight in shining armor! And you owe me, by the way. I still don't like her. But I can hear you do so go for it," he thought, and I was eternally grateful.

"Thanks Jake. Any repairs you need done for that piece of junk car of yours will be free of charge for a while," I replied, hoping that would satisfy him for now. Jake was an expert mechanic, so he was probably just letting me off the hook until he needed help with Algebra.

Come to think of it, the sky was fairly dark. Oh, now I love the predictable unpredictability of western Washington weather, but this was getting ridiculous. It was sunny just a few hours ago! As if on cue, a rumble of thunder cut through the awkward silence. Gracie almost jumped out her skin. She still didn't seem to mind that I was touching her and that comforted me. Her eyes met mine and we both looked away. God, I'm such a coward.

"Well, so much for the sunny day," she mused, sounding concerned. I dropped her wrist, embarrassed.

"Are you alright? You sound a little scared," Jake teased, leaning on the side of the Clearwater's house. He smirked confidently as if he were somehow trying to import some of that self-assurance he had onto me. I didn't feel anything but my knees shaking, however; and I didn't think I was going to be able to do this alone. Too bad Jake was sticking to his plan perfectly.

"I should probably get back to Billy. You know how superstitious he is about everything. You can get home on your own, right Embry? I'm sure Sue and Seth won't mind you staying until the storm clears up."

Jake shot me that "I know something only we know" look. Nerves and all, I was actually getting fairly worried about the weather too. The sky had gone from blue, to bluish-grey, to black in a matter of a few minutes.

"Alright. Well, I'll see you later. Nice meeting you Gracie."And with that, Jake high-tailed it to the Rabbit.

There was an uncomfortable absence of sound for a few minutes before another, much louder clap of thunder shook the windows of the Clearwater's house. I stole another glance at Gracie and her eyes were wide with fright. She was almost shaking, herself.

"You okay? You look terrified," I said, lightly touching her on the shoulder. I was getting bolder now. I wanted to hug her close and comfort her; tell her that everything was going to be alright and that I'd protect her. Instead, my fingertips rested on her lavender sleeve, ready to fly away at the first sign of discomfort. I hadn't noticed her clothing before but took a quick look at the parts of her body that weren't her face. I hardly cared what she looked like; she could've been dressed in sweats and covered with motor oil and still looked like an angel. Instead, she was nicely dressed. She was thin, thinner than I'd realized. Her lilac blouse fluttered loosely in the chilled breeze from the oncoming storm, clinging to her torso. She had freckles all along her arms, matching the ones on her pale face. She was adorable; no one could deny it. Even behind her tortoiseshell frames and modest appearance, she was beautiful. She reminded me a lot of Bella, despite not looking a thing like her. She had the air of undiscovered attractiveness about her; a beauty in geek's clothing. Maybe that was why Jake didn't like her.

My eyes returned from their detour to meet hers for just a brief second, like sand meeting sea-foam. She attempted to smile through her fear; like the wolf I am, I have a heightened sense when it comes to fright. She looked like a scared little girl trying to brave her first roller coaster ride. Too proud to let anyone know how terrified she really was.

"I-I'm fine," she stammered, looking hesitant. " Well, actually, I'm not. This may sound silly, but I'm absolutely terrified of storms." Her face burned bright red and she looked absolutely mortified. It took all of my strength not to take her in my arms and give her a bear hug.

"You're not silly. Come on, we'll wait in here until it passes," I suggested, unlocking the door again.

I noted the little droplets of rain beginning to dot the ground. The sky lit up for a brief second and Gracie came running; choosing to hide closely behind me. I couldn't help but chuckle as I led her into the Clearwater's living room. She was so tiny and cute. Kind of in that girl next door way. I wanted to take care of her.

"Are you sure Mrs. Clearwater won't mind? I mean, I am a stranger and all." She chewed her nails and I wasn't sure if her nerves were caused by the storm or something else. From what I could guess, her family didn't get many unexpected visitors. Then again, she did come from a bigger town and probably wasn't acquainted with small-town country living just yet. I smiled.

"Sue's a really good friend of my family. As long as I'm with you, you'll be okay." I wanted those words to hold true for more than just situation, but made my mind drop the thought. I didn't want to be a total creep.

My nerves faded away as the rain began to pour outside. I took a seat on the small couch in the corner of the room, next to Sue's old-fashioned radio. It was she and Harry's from their wedding; one of the only presents to have actually survived all these years. I missed Harry. Billy, Harry, and Bella's dad Charlie used to fish all the time and we boys would reap the benefits. Since he died, the fishing trips have kind of stopped. It's sad, but that's life I suppose.

I turned the knob on the radio to the "on" position and motioned for Gracie to come have a seat. I don't know if it was the house that was making me so relaxed or if it was something different, but I felt so much more confident now. Gracie, on the other hand, looked like I had earlier. The poor girl was scared in a strange house, in a strange town, with a boy she'd met less than an hour ago. I had to do something to make her feel better; I couldn't stand to see her like this.

We sat in silence, listening to the soft percussion of rain on the thin roof and the occasional rumble of thunder in the distance. The radio crackled and fizzed with static before a man's voice drifted into the room. He droned on about the weekend happenings in Forks and I longed to say something to Gracie. The silence between us was painful; Jake gives me far too much credit sometimes. My lips ached to speak to her; to tell her I wanted to protect her from anything and everything she feared. I felt a cool hand on my shoulders and I met with a horrified pair of eyes. The look radiating from her green irises, one of pure terror and helplessness was just too much for me to resist. I had to protect her.


	4. cowardice

chapter o4. cowardice

gracie.

I couldn't stand the silence any longer; it just made me worry more and more about the impending storm. I hated thunderstorms more than anything. Back in Pittsburgh, I would hide literally behind my mother's legs when they happened. Until I was fifteen. Then I couldn't. I'm still terrified. I cry and hide when I even hear the word "thunder" mentioned. I was surprised that I had been able to hold out that long, but being with Embry made me feel safe. My mouth wouldn't work. I needed to say something to him. Ask him to protect me and keep me safe from the storm. Anything to break the silence and cover the sound of thunder outside.

I thought I had something to say when I turned to look at Embry. I was going to bring up some silly topic that we could spend hours talking about; I got the vibe that he was about as witty as I was. Instead, I froze when his eyes met mine. I know I sound like a pathetic little kid right now, and that's exactly how I felt. I don't know why, but right now I was helpless. I know thunderstorms are usually the same everywhere but this one felt different. Maybe it was because I was so close to the coast, I don't know. I just felt the fear coursing through my veins and needed to be sheltered.

"I'm sorry. I should stop being so silly," I said, quickly looking away. "God, I'm just such a baby. Can you believe it? Shaking like this at a little rumbling and flashing lights." I smiled, trying to make this as not-awkward as possible.

"You're fine, Gracie. I'm scared of the dark, but don't tell anyone," Embry teased, placing his hand on my shoulder. Normally I'd freak out if anyone touched me, but with him it was different. It's not like I'm some skittish little mouse…Well, that's a lie. I am pretty mousy. I guess I just don't like it when people are in my space, you know? Embry was the exception. I hadn't noticed before, but his hand was _really_ warm; maybe it was just cold in the Clearwater's house…

"Um. Listen, Gracie. It looks like it might be getting kind of nasty out there," Embry said, peering through the curtains. Almost instantaneously, the radio sounded with one of those horrible Emergency Broadcast noises. The man on the radio stopped droning about the happenings around Forks to tell us that a severe thunderstorm warning was under effect. "Maybe we should head down to the basement. You know, just in case."

I nodded, feeling slightly sick. I tend to over analyze everything and my immediate thought was "Oh God, I'm going to die". Standing up slowly, I noticed that Embry had grabbed a lantern and a blanket.

"Do you want any snacks or anything? Sue makes really amazing cookies…We might be down there for a while. Storms tend to dwell in La Push for a little while…Sorry you got stuck here," he said, raiding the kitchen.

I shook my head; there was no way I could eat anything right now. Not with doom looming over my head like this. I wanted to cry. I wanted my mom. I started to shake again and it was all I could do to contain the tears. Look at me; I'm eighteen and can't even handle a pathetic little squall. How was I ever going to survive college in the fall? I looked over at Embry again, who was carrying two zipper bags of cookies and two bottles of water. He must've seen me shaking because he instantly flew to my side. My heart fluttered; he was closer than he had ever been before. I wanted to tell him to just hold me close until this storm passed. Embry must've noticed the closeness too, because he instantly hopped back a few inches. He motioned to a door; I assumed it was the way to the basement. I took cautious steps and opened it, fleeing down into the darkness. The Clearwater's house was pretty old so I wasn't surprised to find unfinished brick and a concrete floor with no light. Also, there were no windows; a good thing for my nerves.

I took a seat against the cool bricks, on the dusty floor. Good thing I was dressed appropriately; I'd almost worn a skirt this morning. Instead my jeans took the brunt of the dirt and coal as I shivered on the floor. Embry sat next to me and covered my shoulders with the blanket. I smiled for the first time since I saw the clouds rolling in. He was so sweet. I couldn't help but want to snuggle up next to him and forget about everything. How could I have fallen so quickly? Irrationality had gotten the better of me again. There was never anyone else before Embry, not even back at home with Mom. So how was I so enamored after just a half an hour?

Half an hour? That meant that it was six'o'clock…Crap. I was dead. Julianne was going to kill me when I got home; one less mouth to feed. My dread of returning home was overshadowed when another clap of thunder shook the house. I practically jumped out of my skin and landed right next to Embry. I couldn't be that obvious, though. No, that would just be like some stereotypical scene out of a cheap C movie. Instead I merely excused myself and huddled back underneath the blankets, red burning in my cheeks.

I hated myself. Why couldn't I make a move? Why couldn't I be less pathetic? Why did I suck? As I sat in the darkness cursing my existence, the storm passed over us. In my fit of self-loathing, I didn't notice the rolls of thunder slowly fade away and instead was content passing the time being mopey. I must've appeared ridiculous to Embry. He'd probably never want to see me again if we ever got the opportunity. Because as soon as I got home, I'd be dead meat.

"I think the worst is over…We're probably safe to leave now," Embry said, standing up. He dusted off the backside of his jeans and offered me a hand. I took it gladly, hopping off of the dirty floor. I was still wrapped in Mrs. Clearwater's afghan and I folded it neatly before handing it back to the boy next to me. He looked so much taller inside; I was a shrimp but still…He must've been around six foot seven! Compared to my five feet even, that was kind of intimidating.

"Thanks for putting up with me. I would've just run for the hills if I were you," I said sheepishly. Shuffling up the stairs, I couldn't help but want to stall for more time. By now it was at least 6:45; I was in enough trouble as it was so being a few more minutes late wouldn't hurt anything. Good thing I didn't have a cell phone; it would've been ringing uncontrollably right now.  
"I suppose I should get going. Thanks again…I really appreciate you staying with me. I'll see you around, right?"

"Oh, absolutely. Anytime Seth isn't around to let you in, just come find me. I'm usually hanging around with Jake and our other friend Quil. Just look for the surly one and the brawny one and you'll usually find me," Embry said, looking a little bit embarrassed. He looked like he wanted to ask me something but was too afraid. By this time, we had made it out onto the rain-soaked front porch. It was still raining pretty heavily and Embry held up a finger and ran back inside.  
"Don't want you catching a cold or anything. Let me walk you to your car. You might want to hold on; the mud's pretty slippery."  
He popped open an umbrella and I shyly latched onto his coppery arm. It must've gotten colder; he still felt like fire. We walked slowly to my now mud-stained hybrid and I unlocked my door. I looked up at Embry and waved with my free hand.  
"G'bye," I mumbled, not wanting to let go.

"Wait…There's something I want to ask you."


End file.
